Temporary teachers had to queue up until late Thursday afternoon for their pay cheques at the Circuit Office of the Department of Education in Makhado.

Some of the teachers, who arrived soon after the schools officially closed for the Easter holidays on Thursday morning, had to wait patiently until past 16:00 to receive their cheques. On arrival, they were informed that the cheques had not arrived yet. Nobody seemed to know when these would be arriving. The person who went to Thohoyandou to collect them only arrived after 15:30. Only then the lengthy procedure could start, of each individual cheque being recorded into the official register before it could be handed out.

Irate teachers said the usual procedure is for them to receive their cheques from the principal of the schools where they teach. When they did not receive their pay at the schools, they approached the circuit office.

The circuit manager was not available on Thursday. Staff members said he was attending a meeting in Polokwane.

In Musina, some temporary teachers only received their pay on Friday afternoon.